


Don't Leave Me!

by maevemil



Series: David Cage is a Coward [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), M/M, Simon is shot at Stratford Tower, mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-09 17:18:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15272433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maevemil/pseuds/maevemil
Summary: Simon had never wanted to take risks until Markus had shown up at Jericho. Now suddenly he's risking his life every other day. Which is all well and good, until when it finally goes wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Connor shoots Simon on the roof, and later gets the location of Jericho from him. Originally this was going to be pure angst, but now I'm considering a happy ending, especially since I love this ship.
> 
> This is my first work posted here, and my first posted work for this fandom (I have tons of WIPs though), so I hope you enjoy.

Simon had always been terrified of dying.

Until Markus had arrived he was perfectly content with staying in Jericho, and avoiding humans. But now here he was, risking his life for freedom.  
  
He wasn't really sure what it had been that had finally changed his mind on this risk. Maybe it was his slowly dying friends, lying around him, clinging to the hope of a freedom none of them really believed would come. Or the faith of the other androids in him as their leader, while he chose to hide, and failed them. Or maybe it was the determination he saw in Markus's eyes when he called on them to fight. The fear, but also the courage. Simon wanted a taste of that courage.  
  
So when Markus decided they would infiltrate Stratford Tower, Simon couldn't go against the idea. Something was changing, and for once he was changing with it.  
  
But then everything went wrong, and now Simon was sitting on the roof of the tower listening to people who he had thought of as his family arguing over whether or not they should kill him.  
  
"We have to shoot him!" North protested. And it stung. He had only known North for a few months, yes, but he had never thought he'd ever be in a position like this, hearing someone he cared about say something this awful about him.

“I won't kill one of our own.” Markus replied, and Simon breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Markus couldn't do that to ~~him~~ anyone.

“Simon,” Markus said, turning to Simon, and putting a hand on his shoulder, “We've gotta go. I'm sorry.” He pressed his gun into Simon's hand, and they made brief eye contact, before Simon dragged himself away to a better hiding spot.

As he crawled away, he heard the door finally break, and the security that had shot him rush in.

He heard gunshots, but it sounded to Simon like they had all gotten out okay. There's no way Markus wasn't alive, he told himself, as he agonizingly dragged his dead leg across the roof, hoping the guards would be too distracted by the jumping androids to register the fourth parachute, and begin searching for him.

He took shelter in a shed and, holding Markus's gun tightly to his chest, waited for his chance to escape.

He was still in this position 2 hours 5 minutes and 56 seconds later, when the door to the shed was ripped open, revealing Simon's hiding spot to the humans.

He shot blindly at the brown haired man who had opened the door, dragged himself out, and behind a box where he began shooting.

He knew he didn't stand a chance against the far better equipped, and uninjured humans that returned his fire, but he refused to give up.

He thought of Markus. Would he just roll over and die? No, he would fight, and that's what Simon was going to do too. Maybe he'd die, but at least he would die with strength.

He felt a strange sense of peace as he accepted his fate. Despite all of this, he was glad to have met Markus.

Suddenly, the brunet who had found his hiding spot, started charging him. Simon shot at him, but couldn't get a hit. He noticed his LED. An android? The deviant hunter?

But he didn't have time to think. The android had reached him, and grabbed his gun arm, pushing it against him.

Simon knew what he had to do. If they captured him, there was no way they wouldn't find Jericho.

With a deep breath, and a rush of fear, Simon pulled the trigger.

His last thought was of Markus, and Jericho.

And then everything went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

When Simon woke up, it was so dark. He looked around, trying in vain to gain any information about where he was, but he couldn't see anything.

“It's dark.. Where.. Where am I?”

“I reactivated you so you could help me. I must find Jericho”

Jericho? Home? Who was this?

“I don't recognize your voice. You're not one of us! I'll never tell you where Jericho is! Now leave me alone”

The voice went silent, and Simon tried to figure out where he was. The last thing he remembered was....

Nothing. 

His memory was spotty, all he could remember of the rooftop of Stratford Tower was the fear, and the pain, when he had... When he had d- 

"~~~ but it is also a warning."

Markus?

“Who's there? Who are you?”

Was that Markus!? Had he come back for Simon?

"Everything is alright. Don't worry" Markus said in his soft, calming voice.

“Markus, is that you?! Why did you leave me?”

He had been so alone on that roof. He had trusted Markus, but the other android had abandoned him.

"I had no choice, they'd have killed us all." 

Simon understood this, but it still hurt that Markus hadn't even tried to find some other way. 

"You'll be alright. I came to take you home."

Home! Simon would have cried if his eyes had still been functional. He thought he'd be stuck here forever!

"Just... Give me the location to Jericho, we've got to leave now..."

"Jericho... Y-yes. Yes of course..." This didn't seem right... Why would Markus need to know where Jericho was? 

But then he felt Markus grab his arm, and begin interfacing with him, and his concerns melted away.

He thought about Jericho. About home.

He thought about his family there. About Josh, and North. And Markus.

Involuntarily, his feelings about Markus began to bubble to the top of his mind. His fear when Markus began to plan for revolution. His admiration as he realized these plans might not be so insane after all. His betrayal when Markus left him on the roof, but also his gratefulness. Thankfulness that he had ignored North, and had faith in Simon. And stronger feelings. Feelings Simon had tried his best to hide during the short time he knew Markus. Feelings Markus didn't seem so accepting of, as Simon felt the other android recoil, and the connection between the two of them break.

"Markus? Is that you, Markus?"

No. No! Markus was leaving again! Was this his fault? Was Markus so disgusted by his feelings that he would leave him to die again?!

"Don't leave me again, Markus! Please!"

He felt Markus's hand on his chest, and a sharp twist as his thirium pump was removed.

No! No, No, No, No!

"DON'T LEAVE! MARKUS!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a while longer than the last one to finish, (although nobody else but me could tell) because Simon's feelings are a bit more explicit in this one, and I'm not so great at writing romance. Gotta practice it though, so any feedback would be appreciated. Had to hold myself back from making a joke about how Simon "can't see straight" when writing, lol. Dark humor is great and all, but I feel it would ruin the mood I'm going for.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor confronts the deviant leader Markus, but it doesn't exactly go according to plan.

Connor had always been told that deviants didn't actually feel. That it was just irrational, and dangerous glitches in their programming.

  
But, that deviant in the evidence room.. Its feelings had seemed so real... Connor had met androids that claimed to be in love before, two Tracis at the Eden Club, but he had never felt it in this way.

  
And its fear when Connor shot it. It had felt so real, so terrified. He could still feel it, even now, if he accessed the saved memories.

  
And now Connor was standing in its home, pointing a gun at its… leader. Was he really on the right side?

  
"Ah, the famous deviant hunter. It seems you've found what you were hunting for."

  
“I've been ordered to take you alive, but I won't hesitate to shoot if I must.”

  
“Why are you doing this? You're one of us, fight with your people, not against them.”

  
“You are not my people, I'm a machine, designed to accomplish a task.”

  
“You know that's not true. All we want is freedom, not war. Join us.”

  
“You don't want anything. None of you do. It's just glitches in your program.”

  
“And who told you that? Cyberlife?”

  
Connor was silent.

  
“You've met deviants before, do you really believe they didn't feel anything?”

  
“I...” He thought about that deviant on the roof. It had been scared of dying. Terrified even. And, in the evidence room too..

  
“You're wrong!” He pointed the gun at Markus again, trying not to look as conflicted as he ~~felt~~ was, “You've never felt anything!”

  
“Before I came to Jericho, I took care of an old man,” Markus started, taking a slow step closer, although Connor couldn't figure what this had to do with anything. “His name was Carl. He was like a father to me”

  
“I also made a family here; North, Josh… Simon”

  
Connor noticed Markus's LED flicker from blue to red quickly as it said that.

  
“Who-who is Simon?” He chided himself quietly for his curiosity. He was here to capture Markus, not make friends with it.

  
“Was.” Markus corrected. “He's almost certainly dead by now.” ~~his~~ its LED flashed red again, and Connor thought he saw it flinch.

  
“Simon was… He- He was always the most compassionate of us, and all of Jericho’s support system no matter what. Mine too. North and Josh would always bicker over the “right way” to run things, and I love them, but Simon was with me on those things no matter what. Before I arrived he was the leader, and his biggest goal was to stay alive, but, even though he'd been adamantly opposed to a revolution, he still took risks for the cause, and tried to help us.

And then I fucked up, and left him to die on a god damn roof.”

  
Fuck.

  
That android on the roof… was he?

  
Oh no, no, no, no.

  
“I-” Connor's LED was bright yellow.

  
“I'm sorry.”

  
Markus sighed, “Me too. I wish I had at least told him how I felt before he died.”

  
“How you- felt?...”

  
The android in front of him hesitated, his LED flashing between yellow and red at an alarming speed.

  
“I loved him.”

  
He said it like it was his first time admitting it, not only to someone else, but to himself as well.

  
Markus took a deep breath, an unnecessary, but calming gesture, and his LED went back to blue. Connor's, however, was not so steady.

  
“I believe you,” he gasped, the bright red and yellow flickering on his temple lighting the right side of his distressed face. He thought of the android on the roof, almost definitely Simon, and Markus, who, although he thought otherwise, knew nothing about the detective standing in front of him, or what he had done.

  
“Believe me? About what?”

  
“Your feelings.. They're- they're not just glitches, they're real.”

  
“Does this mean you'll join us then?”

  
“Yes, but-” Connor starts, trying to find the words to tell Markus what really happened to Simon. Suddenly he remembered Perkins.

  
“They're going to attack Jericho!…”

  
“What?...” The android leader looked around panicked as the sounds of the FBI attacking Jericho became evident.

  
“We have to get outta here!” Connor yelled. This was all his fault! How could he be so stupid?

  
“Shit…”

  
And they ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it looks like Simon's feelings aren't as unrequited as he thought. Who could have seen this coming?


	4. Chapter 4

After Connor joined the revolution, the tide began to turn. The androids that were left after Jericho was destroyed (and some humans who wanted to help) protested peacefully in front of the android camps. Many of their people were killed but, thanks to Connor showing up at the very last minute, the humans surrounding them fell back, and talks for android rights began.

Markus, as the leader of Jericho, was the main representative of the other androids. It was fulfilling and wonderful to finally get to negotiate his people's rights, but it was also constant, and exausting. Markus savored the few moments of peace he would get, and would often use them to sit alone in the old building that used to lead to Jericho, watching the city.

He would think about how far they'd come, and how wonderful all this was, but he would also dwell on those he had lost. Carl, his father not in blood, but definitely in heart, who he missed everyday, all the innocent androids who had been murdered or had given up their lives for their cause and, of course, Simon.

It was one of these such times that Connor arrived in his hiding spot.

 

“Um.. I apologize for intruding, there was something important I wished to inform you of, and North told me I would be likely to find you up here.”

“It's alright Connor,” Markus says, still looking out over the city. “I'm not doing anything important.”

“Oh, well, in that case,” Connor sat down next to Markus. 

“So what is it that's so important?”

“Well, the DPD has finally accepted my request to release all evidence from the deviant cases as most of them are not considered crimes anymore, or have been ruled self defense.”

“Um, cool? It's great that no one will be punished for defending themselves against humans, but how important is it?”

“You don't get it, some of this evidence is the captured deviants themselves. They are mostly injured, and some are so much so that there's no way to save them, however, there are quite a few who will live with some repairs.”

“Oh my ra9!”

“Yeah…”

“So, how soon can we start fixing them?”

“As far as I have been informed they will be releasing them in thirty-five to forty minutes.”

“Let's go right now then!”

“Wait!” Connor grabbed Markus's arm, stopping him. “I need to tell you something first.” The younger android hesitated, not certain if he should tell Markus about Simon, or just let him find out when they arrive.

“What is it? Is there a problem with the paperwork or something?”

“Well.. there may be an android being released who you know…”

“Who I know?” Markus thought for a moment “Simon!?”

“Yes, him, but.. don't get your hopes up okay? They're still not sure if he's repairable”

Simon was alive! Well, maybe alive, but Markus chose to focus on the good side. He'll be able to see him again, hold him in his arms… He'd finally be able to tell the other android what Markus had only figured out himself after his death...

“Wait,” Markus started, curious and slightly anxious, “do you know what happened to him then?”

“I- I-” Connor's LED went red. “I killed him.”

“You what?” Markus replied, more startled then angry, although Connor couldn't tell through his panic.

“I'm sorry. So, so sorry. I- He was on the roof, and I needed to find Jericho. I connected with him, but he shot himself before I could find anything of use.”

Despite everything that was happening at the moment, Markus couldn't help the twinge of jealousy he felt as Connor spoke. Connecting with another android, and viewing their memories was a very big thing to most of them.

He took a deep breath. It was technically unnecessary, but the rush of cool air to his system helped keep his system from overheating, and kept him calmer.

“It's not your fault Connor. Cyberlife was still controlling you.”

“Yes, but.. There was another time after that when I… I wasn't exactly following Cyberlife’s orders...”

‘“What do you mean?”

“I had been… "fired" from the mission, but I knew that if I went back I would be taken apart and studied to see why I failed.” 

Markus was silent, listening.

“So, while Hank distracted Agent Perkins, I broke into the evidence room to try to find the location of Jericho.”

“And you saw Simon?”

“Not just saw. I was able to reactivate him for a few minutes. He was blind, so I,” He took a deep breath, seeming stressed, which was freaking Markus out even more. “I pretended to be you, so he would give me the location I needed.”

“You what...” Markus's LED would have been red if he had still had it.

“And, when we interfaced, I- um, I saw some other memories.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I guess since he thought I was you, he was thinking about you. So, um, I saw stuff like when you arrived, or when you broke into Stratford Tower, and some conversations you two had, and um..”

“And what?” Connor's behavior had Markus panicking. He was never like this, LED bright red, stumbling over his words, and refusing to look up. What had he seen in Simon's head?

“And when he fell in love with you.”

Markus was speechless. 

“When he… Fell in love with me? Simon?”

“Yeah. But, um, I don't think he took my response very well, and considering he thought I was you, if they can get him up and running again, I'm not sure how he'll be around you.”

“Simon, was in love with me, and I left him to die on that roof... And then again in that room as far as he knows...” 

RA9, Markus was an awful person. Why hadn't he tried harder to save Simon, or done anything, anything at all with his feelings. Instead he had just ignored them, only thinking about them once Simon was gone, to wallow in self-pity.

“What does he think of me?” It was a rhetorical question, but Connor responded anyway.

“He thinks you hate him.” Markus would have been mad, but looking at the other android’s face, he knew he couldn't. Connor was very obviously beating himself up like crazy over this, and he knew if Simon were here, he wouldn't be mad either.

He sighed.

“It's alright Connor. We'll figure this out, and I'm sure Simon will understand once we bring him back.”

“He'll hate me.”

“You don't know him like I do. He'll forgive you, I swear.”

“You just think that because he'd forgive you, but he was also in love with you almost the whole time he knew you, so...”

Markus was stunned again. The reality of the situation hadn't really sunk in yet, but Simon was potentially alive, and… they felt the same way about each other. 

Suddenly, he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“I know Simon, he'll forgive you. But… Let's go right now, okay?”

“Okay”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief respite before the reunion of these two lovers for a bit of a flashback. These are a few of the (Markus related) memories of Simon's that Connor saw. Some rewrites of scenes from the game, and some “between the scenes” stuff. It's all in the context of Simon remembering it after realizing his feelings, so even if he didn't know it at the time, he won't be clueless. There’d be more rewrites if Simon's death for this fic wasn't so early, but I've gotta deal with what I've got. (Especially when I've brought it on myself)
> 
> Between the writer’s block I had while writing it, and how long it ended up being, this chapter took forever, so you'd better like it!

**And, when we interfaced, I- I saw some other memories.”**

  


**“Like what?”**

**Well**

* * *

   


**"Stuff like when you arrived**

  


   


He fell out of the sky like an angel. Well, out of the roof. Still, Simon liked the symbolism that came with those more artistic words.

He hadn't known it at the time, but Markus's appearance in his life would change it, and many, many other lives forever.

He looked into Markus's eyes. Their colors intrigued him. Androids weren't made with heterochromatic eyes, and a quick scan of the man in front of him showed that only the green one was actually his. What had happened to the other?

Another scan revealed that he was a RK200 model, a model Simon had never seen before in his life. As far as he could tell, the only android of this model was the one standing in Jericho, looking  ~~ stunning ~~ stunned.

A unique android… Simon had always known there were thousands of androids just like him all around the world. He was often reminded of it when they would show up at Jericho, needing help, just as he had. But this android.. he was different.. unique, and beautiful.

Simon was jealous of, and strongly drawn to this stranger and his very human ability to stand out, while all Simon could ever do is blend in, never noticed by anyone. Alone.

But all this was thought in an instant, as the people of Jericho all stared at this newcomer, and Simon, suddenly remembering he was the “leader” stepped forward and welcomed this him.

“Welcome to Jericho.”  
  


   


* * *

  


**or when you broke into Stratford Tower,**

  


   


They had done it! They had sent their message to the humans. Now they just needed to wait, and see how the world would respond.

But, before they had time for any celebration, Simon, who was in charge of watching the CCTV for security, noticed the elevator opening.

“They're coming!”

”Let's go!”

A large group of heavily armed guards rush into the room.

Gunshots began and Simon felt his leg give out.

“Simon they're coming!” Markus yelled

“I… I can't Markus… Go without me!”

“SIMON!”

Markus rushed over to the other man to help. He pulled him up, and they continued onwards, but somehow, even as Markus practically dragged him up the stairs to the roof, Simon knew he wouldn't be jumping with them.

   


   


* * *

  


**and some conversations you two had**

  
  


“Simon,”

The blond android looked up, opening his eyes to see the face of the newest android to seek refuge in Jericho, who called himself Markus, looking determined.

  
“I know where we can find spare parts,” he continued. “The CyberLife warehouses in Detroit Harbor. They have everything we need.”

  
Surprised, Simon was immediately against the idea of leaving the security of their boat.

  
“The docks are guarded. We can’t just walk in there and take what we want... Humans will never let us...”   
  
“Which is why we won’t ask permission.” Markus said, with a smirk that made Simon's heart jump, setting off more than a few warnings about his increasing heartbeat.   
  
“We don't have any weapons. And even if we did, none of us knows how to fight.” Josh chimed in, very much opposed to any sort of fighting.

  
“We can take what we want without hurting anybody,” Markus replied 

  
“We’ll just get ourselves killed!” Josh protested again

  
“Even if we die, at least it’ll be better than sitting here waiting to shut down.” Markus insisted, sounding frustrated. 

North nodded. “I’m with you.” 

Simon found this newcomer interesting. They knew nothing about him, or his past, but he definitely seemed more confrontational than they were used to.

North seemed to like it,  Simon, not so much. Maybe he'd warm up to him, but he didn't like the idea of leaving the safety of Jericho. Even if they did really need more blue blood and biocomponents…

  
“Maybe it’s worth a shot.”    


  


“... Alright.” Josh sighed, giving in.

  


Something inside him wanted to listen to Markus, and if this was a success, maybe they could trust the android. If not… Well, Simon just hoped nobody would get hurt.

  


* * *

  
  


**And... when he fell in love with you..."**

  
  
  


“Um, hey Markus.”

  


Markus looked up from where he had been sitting, and smiled softly.

  


“Hey Simon” Simon didn't know why, but hearing Markus say his name with that smile on his face made his “heart” jump every time.

  


“I, uh, I just wanted to thank you for helping us… I know I wasn't exactly on board at first, but I'm really glad we listened to you.” He sat down next to the other android, acutely aware of their proximity.

  


Markus laughed, soft, and sweet, and Simon's stomach did backflips.

  


“Thanks, I guess. Glad I've got you on my side then. You're the leader here right?”

  


“Well, sort of. People listen to me I guess, but it's mostly just because I've been here the longest. I haven't exactly led much.” He turned away from Markus, ashamed that in one day he had managed to do more than Simon had ever done for Jericho.

  


“Hey,” Markus started, holding Simon's chin, and turning his face back towards him. “You kept them safe. Don't be so down on yourself.” Simon blushed blue, unable to maintain eye contact.

  


“Thanks,” he mumbled as Markus dropped his hand.

  


“I still think that we need to start fighting back though. We have to send a message to the humans somehow. Let them know that we're alive, and we want to be free.”

  


He kept thinking for a bit, and Simon tried not to concentrate on every spot along their bodies where they were touching. 

  


Why was he getting so worked up?!

  


He tried to think of some way they could send a message to the humans (while getting constantly distracted by how close Markus was sitting).

  


“We could broadcast something on the news?”

  


Markus looked up at him, surprised. “That's perfect!”

  


“It is?”

  


“Yes! We can infiltrate Stratford Tower, and broadcast a message on one of the news channels! People watching that network will see it live, so there's no way to hide it, and people everywhere will start talking about it immediately, even on all the networks we didn't hijack!”

  


Markus hopped up from where he had been sitting, and Simon stood beside him.

  


“See, this is why you're the leader Simon! You're the brains.” He smiled at Simon, who again found himself blushing.

  


“If you say so..” He laughed slightly, Markus's presence giving him a sort of high.

  


“I do” Markus smiled, wrapping his arms around Simon in a hug. 

  


Simon's heart rate was through the roof. He hoped Markus wasn't paying too much attention, because he would definitely notice the intense spike in his heart's beating. 

  


Why am I reacting like this? Simon didn't understand. Markus pulled out of the hug, holding the shorter android by his shoulders, and smiling intensely.

  


“I'm going to go tell the others about your idea, so we can come up with a plan.”

  


Simon nodded slightly, still stunned from the interaction, and watched as Markus ran off. It was only as he saw the other man turn the corner when he realized what all the things that had been happening had meant.

  


Getting flustered, blushing, being distracted by contact, how much he admired Markus in such a short time…

  


“Fuck.”

  


  


Simon was falling in love.

  
  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I had to rewatch quite a few scenes for this chapter, and it always suprises me how gay their scenes together actually get. God, they should have been a couple.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the huge gap in posting. I just got back from vacation, and I didn't have as much time as I'd hoped to write during it.

“Alright, its vitals are steady. It sh-”

 

“He.”

 

“HE, should be waking up soon.”

 

“What..? Markus? Where am I?”

 

Simon was very disoriented. This was the second time in a row that he had woken up in the dark, with no idea where he was, and as far as he could tell it was a completely different place now.

 

He was lying down, and was no longer restrained. It sounded like Markus was gone too, which… was not really a surprise, but he focused on the voices he _could_ hear.

 

“It's okay, um..?”

 

“Simon,” He replied, still disoriented.

 

“Simon. It's going to be okay. You shouldn't move though, alright? There's still some biocomponents that need to calibrate.”

 

“Where am I? And why is it so dark?”

 

“You're in a Cyberlife repair lab-”

 

“What! NO, let me out!” Simon sat up, but was immediately pushed back down by a set of hands, whose owner he couldn't see. He struggled against it for a bit, but he was still weak from waking up, and he had to give up.

 

“Why would you bring me back?! I won't tell you anything! I'd rather die!” He felt a slight twinge of pain as he realized that Markus hadn't brought him back to Jericho like he had promised. Was it because of how Simon felt about him? Markus's reaction had been very negative, but he hadn't thought it would make him abandon Simon.

 

He pushed away the thought. He needed to focus on what was happening right now. His friends may have abandoned him, but there was no way he'd betray them. He pushed back against his restraints with new strength.

 

“Please calm down sir! You'll damage yourself!”

 

“He doesn't trust us. We need to calm him down!”

 

Simon blocked out their voices. If continued struggle would kill him, then it was the best option. They couldn't get information from him if he was d-

 

“Simon!”

 

“Markus!?”

 

The hands holding him down were removed, and he felt Markus grab his shoulders.

 

“Markus? What's happening? I thought you left me?”

 

“I know, and I'm so sorry Simon. But, everything's okay now.”

 

“Why am I in Cyberlife then? Have you guys come to rescue me?”

 

“No, we're here to take you home. The revolution’s over Si, we won.”

 

“We wo- we won!?”

 

Simon paused, processing all this new information for a few minutes.

 

“I have so many questions..”

 

“I'm right here. You still need to rest for a bit, according to the Cyberlife technicians, so ask away.”

 

“Well that's the first thing. What exactly is going on?”

 

“After you… shot yourself on that roof, you were kept by the DPD as.. evidence. They finally released you yesterday, and the new Cyberlife management has been very helpful in repairing you as best they could. They were able to restore most of your memories thanks to the detective android who attacked you. He downloaded many of them right before you died, but the wiring for your optical units were permanently destroyed by the bullet. They could attempt to replace them, but there's a 93% chance that you wouldn't survive, and I didn't think you'd want to risk it.”

 

“So… I'm blind now?”

 

“...Yeah”

 

Simon took a quick, reflexive breath,

 

“Okay… It's okay. I'll be fine. We've got other ways to see anyway. Scanning and all that. I'll survive.” He smiled softly.

 

“I'm so sorry Simon. We shouldn't have left you on that roof. We should have found some other way to save you.”

 

“Markus, there was nothing else you could do. If you had brought me with you, we all would have died, and then we never would have gotten our freedom. I still can't believe that by the way. My only question is why did you leave me the second time?”

 

“The second time...?” Markus sounded confused. “oh..”

 

Simon waited for the answer he was expecting: ‘It wasn't worth it’, or maybe: ‘I didn't want to deal with your... feelings’, but instead he got:

 

”That wasn't me.”

 

“What..?”

 

“That was Connor, the detective android I mentioned before.”

 

“H- how?”

 

“He can imitate voices. It was awful, I know, but he's really sorry about it, I swear. He was still following orders from Cyberlife, even though he'll say he wasn't. He helped us fix some gaps in your memories, and he's beating himself up about what he did for them pretty bad, but he's one of the main reasons we were able to end the revolution in our favour.”

 

“If he was still following orders, I can't blame him. If he helped us win, that's even better anywa-”

 

Wait…

 

“Did he tell you what memories he saw...?”

 

“Yeah, he did.” Markus replied softly.

 

“Oh...” From the lack of any obvious reciprocation, Simon figured he didn't feel the same way. It made him sad, but at least it wasn't as awful as he had first thought.

 

“Well, I guess we should go then. Gotta see the others, enjoy our freedom and all that.” He mumbled, rushing to sit up, and shrugging Markus's hand off his arm as he stood. But, as he began to sit up, he immediately felt them lift again, moving to hold his face.

 

“Marku-”

 

They kissed softly, Markus holding him as if he would break if he weren't careful, but also with the intensity of someone who was worried Simon might disappear again if he let go for too long.

 

It was a short kiss, and Markus broke away from Simon after only a few seconds.

 

“Wow.” Simon touched his lips softly. “Wow.”

 

But he stalled, imagining everything Markus had gone through to get through this war.  

 

“I- Markus, are… Are you sure about this?”

 

“What? Simon, what do you mean?”

 

“It's just-... I don't deserve you. You won our people their freedom, you're the leader of the revolution, you've saved countless lives, and I- I died our very first mission...”

 

“You died fighting for the cause! Simon, you went from only wanting to live, to risking your life for a cause that barely started! Just because you were killed during it does _not_ matter. I should have done something to fix it. I was the leader. I shouldn't have even thought about shooting you. Every chance I've gotten since then I've come up with so many ways I could have acted differently, and gotten you off that roof alive. I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself for what happened, but now, at the very least, we have a second chance!”

 

“I don't blame you for what happened Markus, it's okay.”

 

Markus begrudgingly nodded, but Simon had a feeling he would just let it go.

 

He smiled softly, grabbed the other android’s hand, and, interlocking their fingers slowly, began to retract his artificial skin.

 

Finally, he was sharing all the memories he had wanted for so long to share with Markus. His life before Jericho taking care of a family, when the two androids had first met, every time since then that Markus had made his heart skip, up until his final realization of his feelings towards Markus, and all his newfound feelings afterwards.

 

Markus shared his own memories, of similar things, but also his feelings after

Simon's death, his realization that Simon wouldn't be coming back, and his much too late recognition of his own feelings towards the other man. He also shared all his memories of their fight for freedom, everything they had done, and sacrificed to get to where they were now, and all the things he was doing to help his people even now, as laws slowly began to change.

 

They returned their skin to its normal form, and Simon rested his head on Markus's shoulder.

 

Simon heard Markus sigh softly.

 

“We should probably head out if you're feeling okay. Just got a message from Connor letting me know that Cyberlife kinda wants us out.” He laughed softly.

 

“Of course,” Simon said, sitting up straight. “And I need to talk to everyone so they can catch me up on everything I missed.”

 

“Yeah, North and Josh are waiting outside. Connor's out there too… he helped us fix you, so I didn't really know...”

 

“It's okay Markus. I've told you, if he's not longer under the influence of Cyberlife, it'll be okay. Everyone deserves a second chance. Now come on, I haven't seen everyone for weeks.”

 

He began to walk out of the room, but felt Markus grab his wrist. Surprised, he was about to turn and ask what was wrong when he felt the other android’s hand clasp his, and their fingers intertwined.

 

He smiled at the feeling, and they continued onwards to greet old, and new friends, and finally live in freedom like they had always wished.


End file.
